DWTS Week 9 Performance (spoilers)

I hereby recommend a new rule for DWTS, taking a page out of the SYTYCD book: If you judge, you must also dance. You don't get to act entitled, high, and mighty if you've never danced a day of ballroom in your life. I think you all know who I'm referring to...:mad: I'll elaborate later...and what the heck was Len doing his masterclass on SALSA and JITTERBUG???!! Hasn't he claimed himself that he doesn't know much about them? I can't believe that he and producers didn't figure out that his talents were better suited to coaching actual ballroom dances. I feel like I'm taking crazy pills :shock:

Brooke & Derek - wow, the higher you climb, the farther you fall. That jive was dreadful. Brooke was missing leads left & right, and never seemed to really commit to the triple-step action - it was very shuffley for me. I loved the song choice, but I think it may have contributed to the failure of their jive - it was just too fast. Carrie Ann came across as uppity as ever to me when critiquing this one - going so far as to calling their lift (if you can call it that - I remember Tony & Inna doing it IN COMPETITION and still winning pro rhythm) "disrespectful at this stage of the competition". Right, Carrie Ann - because all the couples are refraining from doing lifts out of RESPECT for YOU. Get over yourself. She further reiterates how subjective and hypocritical she can be when she applauds their trick-and-lift laden salsa, saying that "there were a lot of lifts, but I liked them and it fit the dance". Soooo...I guess there's a new rule now: no lifts, unless Carrie Ann likes them. What a bunch of poppycock. But as for their salsa - it was alright. The number of good solid basics was disproportionately small compared to the number of flashy tricks...but it was fun to watch.

Cody & Julianne - this week just solidified the fact for me that the judges DO NOT want Cody to be in the finals. A paso that was light years better than Brooke & Derek's jive, and it gets 1 point more? *barf bucket* True, Cody was a bit stiff - but in the paso more than ever, I think it suited him this time. He presented his chest well, and had strong arms and feet. Loved the military theme & costumes - and boy, is that boy strapping! It was a very athletic routine, and he pulled it off. Their salsa was better - a fun, sugary little ditty, and Cody did seem to loosen his hips up a bit. He did seem to get a bit rushed during the middle, but some creative backleading from Julianne got him back on time. And kudos to Julianne for wearing a belly-baring costume only two weeks after having surgery...she looks fantastic!!! Despite having a pretty good week, though, I daresay these two are headed home tomorrow night - no thanks to the judges and their skewed scoring.

Warren & Kym - I think Warren's stage presence alone could carry him to the finals. These two were so much fun to watch tonight...their mambo was the slickest and most relaxed we've seen. Not a whole lot of complexity, but I respect the fact that Kym knows how to stick with what Warren can do, and knows that a quality basic trumps a sloppily-done flashy move any day. Love the fact that Warren finally got to wear a chest-and-arm-baring vest. And ahem - Bruno? "You get away with murder, Warren!"???! No Bruno, murder is what you do to our ears with some of the stuff that comes out of your mouth on a weekly basis. The jitterbug was probably the most creative theme we've seen so far - casino. And loved the fact that they used "Old Black Magic" as their music. So fun! It was energetic, fun, and carefree. And whoever tried to call Warren out for having his feet "all over the place" - um, isn't that kinda the idea in jitterbug?

Lance & Lacey - ok, as much as it pains me to say it: these two stole the show tonight. Their mambo was the best we've seen all season - not too "out there", good solid basics, proper timing & technique, and great performance quality. Didn't notice Lance's pigeon-toedness so much. Glad to see Lacey in an outfit that wasn't so "out there" and edgy - she looked very pretty tonight. Their signature move this season? The "turn to each side of the dance floor and point" box. Their jitterbug had great energy and fun choreography - but somehow, it still left me wanting more. I guess I still think that nothing can top Cody & Julianne's jitterbug - none of the others so far have measured up to its technique, energy, and comedy. Although Lance's shoe flying off was pretty entertaining! I just wish he wouldn't have stared at it for 15 seconds straight right after it happened. I think these two just may have solidified themselves as contenders for the win...too bad the judges have already made up their minds who they want to win this thing.

Did You Notice...?
*Debbie Gibson in the audience? I smell a contestant for next season...
*Brooke's undies peeking out for most of her salsa? Whoops, Brooke...that's what built-in spankies are for!
*The corner of Cody's lip bleeding after their salsa? Did Julianne accidentally smack him in the face coming out of a turn or lift, or did he just get really excited and bite down on it?
*Paul, the winning "Johnny" from the Dirty Dancing reality show, performing the salsa example?
*Christian Perry, the choreographer of the season 5 group rock 'n' roll routine and season 6 country routine, performing the jitterbug example?
 
Brooke jive- ackward. And here costume was to pale too counter Derek's giant blue coat.
Cody paso- I don't get the military theme of the costumes. Wasn't very together.
 
Re: tomorrow's performances. Kristi Yamaguchi? I don't watch results shows to see the "stars" even if they were the past winners. I watch to see actual dancers. Ergh.
 
Lance mambo- Nice. His grandpa is cute.:) I'm a sucker for the grandparents on this show.
 
Brooke salsa- Guess Derek had a few things from M&Y's The Beat he hadn't used already (including the costume).:rolleyes:
 
Cody salsa- the side by side wasn't very together, but I actually think it was his best pperformance. His shirt totally not matching her outfit really bothered me though.
 
Warren jitterbug- Well I have to give it to the band. That was a fabulous foxtrot song! Oh wait, it was supposed to be jitterbug? I think it would have been better with better music. It lacked energy, but the music sapped it all out. (How ironic that the band got thanked after this song.)
 
Lance jitterbug- Best performance of the night. Lacey's outfit is cute. Great recovery on the wardrobe malfunction. I'm betting out of all the pros Lacey probably actually has some jitterbug background (of course, that didn't help the week they had WCS.) But great performance.
 
Too bad Brooke made so many mistakes in her jive. I thought her salsa was the only good salsa tonight, she can really move her body and her hips and looked natural.

I liked Cody's and Julianne's salsa (guaguancó) song very much and loved Julianne, however, thought that Cody was stiff and made a very serious face. I wanted to jell "Smile, this is so much fun, smile". He had his routine well together but was lacking flexibility, his moves were just too rigid.

Lance and Lacey's mambo might have been good, the music was so distracting, however, that I did not enjoy it because for me the music has to fit the dance and I simply could not get into it because of the music.

And the - supposedly professional - salsa dancers were not great, either, particularly the guy (Paul ?). The lady was ok although she did not have great Latin body moves (styling). Where were they the salsa champions? I just googled and could not find any competition where they were the champions. And also found that we saw her already - with an even worse lead - on another season of DWTS. She must have a contract with them. I have seen so many salsa dancers that look much better and have so much more "sabor" and Paul ? was lacking "sabor" and his dancing (steps and technique) lacked a lot. Why can't they get real salsa champions like Felipe Polanco, Jhesus Aponte, Oliver Pineda?

This for me is stylish, elegant, sophisticated salsa dancing: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GrqRzI4f7jI
Felipe's partner is great! I love the way she moves her body, her arms, her hands ... this is truly Puerto Rican style salsa on 2 at its best!

Here a different style, Oliver Pineda and partner: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2dkRpHadHMg

I am always disappointed about mambo and salsa on this show.
 
Great recap, as usual, HnF!

I was underwhelmed by this week's performances, and disappointed that they had so many mambo/salsa routines, which are stylistically similar.

Why no ballroom AT ALL on the "semifinal"? Do they think it's somehow inferior to latin/rhythm? Can't say I'm a fan of the format this season, I think they needed to stick to the ballroom round and latin round last night.

I was frustrated with the show last night...don't even get me started on the judging.
 
Bad Derek! Bad Derek! I was so PO'd to see that he not only took quite a few of the samba moves from Max and Yulia's "The Beat", but he had them copy Yulia's costume exactly. What the heck!!!!! NOT COOL, DEREK!! Take one, take the other, but dont take both at the same time!! Grrr....

My non-dancing sister and I were watching and both of us were like, "um, o-kaaaay" about Christian Perry's jitterbug. She rightly noted that he looked like a cross between the huge tall guy on "Everybody Loves Raymond" (Robert) and Nicolas Cage, both on speed. He's so spastic! I didnt think that was a very good representation of the jitterbug, but then again, I am not a Christian Perry fan.

Brooke's first dance was horrific. Second was pretty good. Her and Derek have started to get on my nerves already, though. Would kind of be glad if they did NOT win.

Cody's dances....meh. He just doesnt look right and his arms are awkward and his obvious crush on his goddess Julianne kind of gets on my nerves. Now that Edyta was able to get him thru to the semi final, I'm ok if he leaves now. He on the other hand, will not know what to do with himself when he doesnt get to see Julianne anymore!

Warren's dances were pretty good. Just didnt seem to have alot of hard stuff in them. Kind of over him as well. While I was glad when Emmitt won, I would rather not see him win as he's not put forth as much effort as Emmitt seemed to. (went back and re-watched some of Emmitt's dances to come to that conclusion after wondering why I liked Emmitt so much but was "over" Warren already).

Lance's dances were great. I would rather he and Lacey NOT win because she just went about the whole season wrong and did alot of things she should have, also because he could have done so much better already with another [better] pro. That being said, I wouldnt MIND if they won simply because Lance could shut up about not being a good dancer and because I dont really want any of the others to win. Didnt start out liking it, but by the end of the first dance, I loved Lacey's costume. And I loved both their routines. It did say alot for him that he kept going without screwing up after losing his shoe. Brooke made a mistake and it messed her up for the rest of the dance, and she had both shoes on! Lance and Lacey were definitely the best dances of the night.

Should be interesting to see the results tonight!

Man, still kinda ticked about the Derek thing. I simply ADORE Max and Yulia and think their showdance routines are just FANTASTIC. Guess that's why him taking not only their moves but Yulia's signature costume really ticks me off! Oh well...I'll get over it....
 

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